Ex-Malaysian reality TV contestant gets jail, fine for abusing stepdaughter
PETALING JAYA: A former Malaysian reality television show contestant was sentenced to 14 days in jail and RM5,000 fine or another six months imprisonment by the Sessions Court here today for abusing his stepdaughter by dipping both her hands in hot water.
Judge Norshila Datuk Kamaruddin meted out the punishment to Akademi Fantasia season nine student 'Azri', whose real name is Mohammad Azri Abdullah, 31, now a cakes and pastries entrepreneur, after he changed his plea to guilty yesterday as his trial was about to commence. The court fixed today for sentencing.
On April 14, 2017, he claimed trial to committing the offence on the child aged 10 years at an apartment at Section 9, Subang Jaya here, at 8am on May 5, 2016.
As soon as the proceedings ended, while Azri was still in the dock, his mother, wife, and children including the victim who were in the courtroom public gallery rushed towards him.
His mother clasped him to her, wailing, "They will beat him up, they will beat him up. Don't go! Don't go! He has to send his children to school, bath them, feed them. People don't know!" she lamented and almost fainted, prompting police personnel to intervene and calm her down.
According to the facts of the case, the accused had asked the victim whether she had taken the chocolate which had gone missing. When she refused to admit, he took a pot containing hot water and dipped the child's hands into it.
In mitigation, Azri's counsel Fahmi Abd Moin asked the court to impose a fine or bond of good behaviour rather than imprisonment, saying his client was a good father and loved his three children, including two stepchildren, and that his action was unintentional.
The lawyer said the victim suffered from eczema on both hands since childhood, so the injuries were not totally due to the hot water.
However, deputy public prosecutor V. V. Suloshani urged the court to impose a custodial sentence, submitting that he had tortured and caused suffering to the victim who had to be warded for 19 days to clean the wounds which the doctor classified as severe.
"If the victim had a skin problem, all the more should the accused have taken due care of her instead of being so heartless," DPP said, adding, the accused also took a rather long time, more than a year to plead guilty.
Azri has a daughter with his wife of three years who also has a daughter and son from a previous marriage. — Bernama